# Are radio station call letters a purely North American thing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 2, 2004, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-radio-station-call-letters-a-purely-north-american-thing/272612 "2004-11-02T21:19:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-radio-station-call-letters-a-purely-north-american-thing/272612/1 "2004-11-02T21:19:49Z")
I’m sitting here listening to Capital Radio from London over the internet. It occurred to me that all stations I ever listened to while in England were just refered to by names: “Capital Radio” , “Radio 1”, etc. Those in North America know that while many of our popular stations have “names”, they are mostly unofficial/transient and that the stations call letters are more-or-less their official ID. WXRK-FM as opposed to 92.3 K-Rock, etc. Do UK stations have call letters, and perhaps they’re not really used the same as here? ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-radio-station-call-letters-a-purely-north-american-thing/272612/2 "2004-11-02T21:28:14Z")
At the naval station in Gtmo, Cuba, we used to listen to “ **CMKC, desde Santiago de Cuba; con emisoras en Guantanamo** …” etc. Loaded with commercials, but the music was wonderful. (You don’t count Cuba as part of North America, do you?) ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-radio-station-call-letters-a-purely-north-american-thing/272612/3 "2004-11-02T21:33:11Z")
> [@Antiochus](#): > > At the naval station in Gtmo, Cuba, we used to listen to > > “ **CMKC, desde Santiago de Cuba; con emisoras en Guantanamo** …” etc. > > Loaded with commercials, but the music was wonderful. > > (You don’t count Cuba as part of North America, do you?) For the purposes of this thread, yes. I was more interested in the workings of radio station “names” in Europe, and the lack of call letters. ---
**Author:** ![Shrinking\_Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Shrinking\_Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shrinking_Violet)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-radio-station-call-letters-a-purely-north-american-thing/272612/4 "2004-11-02T21:34:59Z")
UK stations are known by name only, and don’t have call letters. ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-radio-station-call-letters-a-purely-north-american-thing/272612/5 "2004-11-02T22:15:50Z")
> [@Shrinking Violet](#): > > UK stations are known by name only, and don’t have call letters. What about BRMB? 🙂 Actually you’re more or less correct, the vast majority do have a name attached to them but they often have the frequency too. Just as an example here is a list of some [UK radio stations](http://www.mikesradioworld.com/eu_uk.html) ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-radio-station-call-letters-a-purely-north-american-thing/272612/6 "2004-11-02T22:26:10Z")
Is there a reason for this? Perhaps just the size of the US? For example, you could have a KTEG (which I believe is 104.7 FM The Edge in Albuquerque) but on the other side of the Misssissippi you could also have a WTEG. I woudn’t be surprised if there is a WTEG. Is this difference an effect of factors like size or more because of the FCC? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-radio-station-call-letters-a-purely-north-american-thing/272612/7 "2004-11-02T22:50:24Z")
[http://earlyradiohistory.us/1913call.htm](http://earlyradiohistory.us/1913call.htm) The early radio conventions assigned call letters to all countries. I think some ammended version of this is still in effect. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-radio-station-call-letters-a-purely-north-american-thing/272612/8 "2004-11-02T23:22:34Z")
Amateur radio stations have assigned call signs: [http://www.qsl.net/yb0emj/itucalls.html](http://www.qsl.net/yb0emj/itucalls.html) Brian ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-radio-station-call-letters-a-purely-north-american-thing/272612/9 "2004-11-02T23:34:02Z")
The Perfect Master [speaks](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/010504.html) om radio call signs. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-radio-station-call-letters-a-purely-north-american-thing/272612/10 "2004-11-02T23:49:31Z")
Radio call letters are not limited to North America. I believe all member countries of the International Telecommunication Union, which includes most if not all countries, follow this practice. Since I’m from the Philippines, I’m most familiar with the system there. The country has been assigned the initial letter “D”; commercial stations are assigned the second letter “W”, “X”, “Y”, or “Z” depending on where they are in the country, e.g., “DXYZ”. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-radio-station-call-letters-a-purely-north-american-thing/272612/11 "2004-11-03T05:33:32Z")
In Australia AM radio stations have a numeral designating the state (we only have 6) and a two-letter code. FM is the same except 3 letters. So in Sydney AM stations include 2SM, 2UE, 2WS, etc. FM stations include 2JJJ, 2MMM, 2MBS, etc. Commonly they will have names as well. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-radio-station-call-letters-a-purely-north-american-thing/272612/12 "2004-11-03T09:10:55Z")
Japan doesn’t seem to have any rule for radio or TV. Radio in Tokyo: NHK-FM (NHK is the equivalent of PBS), Tokyo-FM, J-WAVE, FM Yokohama, Bay-FM, NACK 5, and AFN (US Armed Forces Network) ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-radio-station-call-letters-a-purely-north-american-thing/272612/13 "2004-11-03T13:20:32Z")
> [@Sublight](#): > > Japan doesn’t seem to have any rule for radio or TV. > > Radio in Tokyo: NHK-FM (NHK is the equivalent of PBS), Tokyo-FM, J-WAVE, FM Yokohama, Bay-FM, NACK 5, and AFN (US Armed Forces Network) What is the range of frequencies on the Japan FM dial? I took my portable radio with me when I went there and couldn’t pick up anything. I wound up buying a local one, but I’ve forgotten the frequencies. Also, IIRC Japanese radio consisted of playing about 45 seconds of a song, then talking about the song in excruciating detail (while the song played softly in the background) for, like, half an hour or so. At least, the one station that I could pick up consistently in Kashiwazaki, Niigata-ken did it like this. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-radio-station-call-letters-a-purely-north-american-thing/272612/14 "2004-11-03T14:14:46Z")
To the best of my knowledge, under the International Telecommunications Union treaty, most radiotelecommunication services are required to have call signs. The ARRL has a [list of countries’ call sign prefixes](http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc/itucalls.html), sorted by prefix. The UK has the prefix block GAA-GZZ. The Philippenes has the prefix block DUA-DZZ. Feel free to check the list for other countries’ blocks. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-radio-station-call-letters-a-purely-north-american-thing/272612/15 "2004-11-03T14:17:52Z")
I checked the list again. The UK has the prefix blocks GAA-GZZ, MAA-MZZ, VPA-VQZ, VSA-VSZ, ZBA-ZJZ, ZNA-ZOZ, ZQA-ZQZ, and 2AA-2ZZ. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-radio-station-call-letters-a-purely-north-american-thing/272612/16 "2004-11-04T08:43:00Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > What is the range of frequencies on the Japan FM dial? I took my portable radio with me when I went there and couldn’t pick up anything. I wound up buying a local one, but I’ve forgotten the frequencies. I don’t know the actual numbers, but it’s slightly different than the American range (it overlaps with the TV band to some extent). As for the songs, that was probably just a particularly annoying station you happened to find. Most of the Tokyo music stations play the whole song, albeit from an annoying limited playlist. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-radio-station-call-letters-a-purely-north-american-thing/272612/17 "2004-11-04T09:08:00Z")
I guess the question has been answered - yes, all countries have call signs. The reason American station _use_ them is that they’re required to: FCC regulation 47 CFR 73.1201 requires that > [@](#): > > Broadcast station identification announcements shall be made: > (1) At the beginning and ending of each time of operation, and > (2) hourly, as close to the hour as feasible, at a natural break in program offerings. > > … Official station identification shall consist of the station’s call letters immediately followed by the community or communities specified in its license as the station’s location: Provided, That the name of the licensee or the station’s frequency or channel number, or both, as stated on the station’s license may be inserted between the call letters and station location. No other insertion is permissible. (which I found [here](http://www.bostonradio.org/radio/legal-id.html)) And [here’s](http://www.google.com/url?sa=U&start=1&q=http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Enforcement/Orders/2000/da001190.doc&e=7627) a Word document detailing action taken against a station which failed to comply. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-radio-station-call-letters-a-purely-north-american-thing/272612/18 "2004-11-04T09:33:01Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > What is the range of frequencies on the Japan FM dial? I took my portable radio with me when I went there and couldn’t pick up anything. I wound up buying a local one, but I’ve forgotten the frequencies. If you took your Japanese radio home to the US, you’d better hope that your favorite stations are below 89.9FM. The FM bands here in Japan go from 76.0 to 89.9mHz. For comparison, in the US that would overlap with VHF TV channels 2 thru 6. That also overlaps with some US tactical military bands which run from 30 mHz to 87.975 mHz.